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In fact, it's not socialism that put me off Mandarin immersion. It's the fact that China has an execution rate that exceeds all other countries in the world combined and a brutal labor situation for most of its people.

You may think it funny to laugh at this woman's concern about "communism." It's true that the form of oppression has changed somewhat in the last twenty years. However, she's right in her belief that China was and is an extremely oppressive country.

Thanks, China, but I'd rather my child learn one of the languages of the many countries in the world with a history as a liberal democracy.

Language immersion programs are LANGUAGE learning programs, not political indoctrination.

Let's say you want to promote political transformation in China: doesn't it make sense to learn Chinese languages in order to engage Chinese citizens in honest conversations about the benefits of democracy?

"Let's say you want to promote political transformation in China: doesn't it make sense to learn Chinese languages in order to engage Chinese citizens in honest conversations about the benefits of democracy?"

You are incredibly naive if you think you will involve the Chinese in a conversation about the benefits of democracy.

Instead of taking money from the Chinese government for these Mandarin language programs, why don't you instead ask China to direct the funds to worker benefits and labor advocacy programs in their own country.

Perish the thought that ultra liberal San Franciscans would actually care about the labor conditions of Chinese workers.

Mandarin immersion in the San Francisco public school is NOT financed by the Peoples Republic of China. Perhaps it is in Hacienda Heights. It isn't in San Francisco. Mind you, we'd be happy for the money (I understand enough Chinese to know whether my kids are being indoctrinated into Communist ideology and I can ASSURE you they are not.)Anyway, most of our teachers are from Taiwan...

Yes, maybe there will be more programs like the ones that everyone is trying to get into. So I agree with you!

But really, it is absurd about the issues in S.F Immersion programs. If you care so much about China's policies, don't have the kids learn Spanish either because Mexico and a lot of other South American countries human rights and immigration rights are pretty abhorrent too!

It is about language in S.F. and not funded by China. And the woman was worst than a hick, she is a xenophobe! And Chinese is spoken all over the world too. There are enclaves of Chinese everywhere just look around. Much of Asia speaks Mandarin in parts. Even here in America...yes..even here in America people speak Mandarin. Heavens!

"And while the families of the Foxconn suicides maintain that long hours, low pay, and harsh management are to be blamed, Zhang added that "the psychological problems of the workers" can be added to the list. Psychological problems caused by low pay, long hours, and harsh management, perhaps?"

"During today's press event, Tang Wenying, a young Foxconn line supervisor said, "This is a good place to work because they treat us better than many (other) Chinese factories." And that may be the most worrisome aspect of this: Foxconn, by all accounts, provides some of the best conditions for the Chinese workers it employs. What does that say about the anonymous (and thus, invisible) chain of small suppliers and secondary assembly facilities nobody reads about?"

Also, Spanish is the working language of many countries, unlike Mandarin, which is primarily the working language of one country: China. (By comparison, Taiwan's population is dramatically smaller.)

No Spanish speaking country is actively funding Spanish in the US. In fact, although Spanish is one of the languages that has been traditionally taught in American schools, with all the budget cuts, it is ironic that Spanish as a second language programs have been scaled back in most states.

Well, of course, Spanish isn't funded by other countries. They barely have any money, if any to teach their own people. Not to mention, the Chinese program in S.F. is NOT, I repeat NOT, funded by China! Get it!

So why should we care if China is funding immersion programs in other countries? Would we care if France assisted us in starting a French Immersion program?

"So why should we care if China is funding immersion programs in other countries?"

Because it represents undue influence in what languages are offered in our schools. Schools usually can only support one language, and teaching Mandarin is supplanting the teaching of many other languages, most notably, Spanish.

"Would we care if France assisted us in starting a French Immersion program?"

Yes. That is likely why France supports the Lycee system and does not promote or finance French in American public schools. They are astute enough to realize that promoting and financing French in American public schools would represent undue influence.

So why should the American people support learning Spanish. South America is NOT the emerging market, Asia is. Mandarin is going to be needed to cope with that. Spanish markets are no where and will continue to be so for a while. So why spend our good hard earned money on that language. China holds much of the US in bonds. We better get ready for that too.

Really, I don't want my kid to learn Spanish. I'd rather they learn Mandarin. I think the Spanish program is a waste of money. Tell me why learning Spanish is so important? Why should we waste our money teaching that instead of another language. And the French school, one must pay to get in. I know one family that is there and the husband is French. They don't get a break on tuition. The french government doesn't start to assist the parents until the kids are in high school.

I think it is very difficult to evaluate what language is going to be most useful in the future.

I will not attempt to argue for or against Mandarin as a "useful" language. I am simply stating that Mandarin is not on a level playing field with other second languages in US schools, because China is willing to subsidize Mandarin within the public school system.

I've always thought that in SF, conservatives want their kids to learn Mandarin for future business endeavors, while liberals want their kids to learn Spanish for everyday interactions here in the city. I mean, there seems to be some kind of class or social politics to it that I can't quite figure out.

Again, the subject of this video is Chinese government subsidized Mandarin in a California school.

I don't care what language a school teaches. However, the choice of what second language is offered should not be influenced by financing from a foreign government.

While San Francisco schools may not be accepting funding from the Chinese government for their Mandarin program, I would still like to know why Kim-Shree Maufas attended one of the school administrator programs in China.

I began studying Mandarin at CCSF recently as an adult and found that some of the political objections mentioned in these posts came up in our class. It was interesting to see how the teacher (born in Taiwan) dealt with them and ultimately it gave me more insight into the complexity of our large Chinese-heritage community in San Francisco (I am not of Chinese background). Many Cantonese speaking families choose Cantonese immersion to maintain their heritage; these same families are urging their college-age students to study Mandarin for more practical reasons.

I want my son to learn spanish so that when he is a hedge fund manager... Making the big bucks, post financial reform... He will have a blast scoping out and negotiating for his south american retreat.

Besides.. After learning spanish at a young age, he will probably be a natural in picking up portugese, french or italian, should that interest him.

No, i am not grooming him to be a transator. I am hoping to prepare him for a career in the us.

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The SF K Files was started by a San Francisco mom who was seeking a kindergarten for her four-year-old daughter. You can read Kate’s story by clicking here. The site is now managed by a group of San Francisco parents and continues as a resource for families seeking public, private or charter options in San Francisco.

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